Julius Zarand was educated as a painter at the University of
Budapest. Awarded a scholarship to further his studies in Italy, he was commissioned
to paint a portrait of Pope Pius XII.

Persian rugs became a passion of Mr. Zarand, as a result of a visit to Persia with his father
(a collector) as a young boy. Mr. Zarand and a colleague started
a business in post-war German knotting rugs in the Persian manner. He made rugs
incorporating the Great Seal of the United States for the American Military Government in
Berlin.
Upon his arrival in Toronto in 1952, Mr. Zarand painted an early
portrait of Roy Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet.
   Mr. Zarand came to Saint Mary’s University in Halifax to teach
in the University’s prominent art program. He became known internationally for his
portraits. His talents are seen in a plethora of works in oils and watercolour
including landscapes, allegorical works, seascapes, etc.
   Mr. Zarand established Atlantic Art Gallery at the Lord Nelson
Arcade. As well, his work was shown at Zwicker’s Gallery, Saint Mary’s University, St.
Francis Xavier University, Lyghtesome Gallery, etc.
    A review of Mr. Zarand’s work, after a show at a major Illinois
University, states that Mr. Zarand was, at the time, “the best technical artist working in
America”.



 

Nova Scotia has lost one of its most respected artists.
  Julius Zarand of Borgels Point died in Mahone Nursing Home August 16 at the
age of 98.
    Working in both oils and watercolours, Mr. Zarand gained a reputation not
only as a talented landscape and seascape artist, but also as a noted
portraitist who was commissioned to paint such notables as Pope Pius XII and Roy
Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet.
      A native of Hungary, Mr. Zarand was an internationally noted artist who
studied at the University of Budapest, then served his native country as a
soldier during the Second World War, before immigrating to Toronto in 1952 and
finally moving to Halifax, where he spent 14 years as a professor of art at
Saint Mary's University.
    Forced into mandatory retirement from teaching at age 65, he first bought a
farm in Tatamagouche before relocating to Borgels Point where he opened his own
studio and gallery.
     Mr. Zarand's later life was a far cry from his younger days in Europe when,
in 1940, his country reluctantly agreed to join forces with the Germans in
fighting the Allies during the war.
     "Only about 25 or 30 per cent of the people in Hungary supported Hitler," he
recalled in a 2006 interview with this newspaper. "Overall, the people were
against it."
     The son of a general, Mr. Zarand served as a sergeant in the Hungarian army
when they were sent by the Germans as part of that country's attempted invasion
of Russia.


  Unable to return to his Hungarian home after the war out of fear of what the
occupying Soviet communists might do to him, Mr. Zarand changed his name,
contacted the Canadian embassy in Stuttgart and eventually immigrated to
Canada.
    "I couldn't go home because I know they were hunting for me," he recalled,
adding that he was also a target because his family was considered well off "and
had a good-sized piece of land."
     After working off the cost of his passage to Canada on a farm, Mr. Zarand
boarded an Italian ship headed for Quebec, and upon arriving wasted little time
migrating to the Ontario capital "because everybody goes to Toronto."
    There, he gained employment as an artist with a German architect before
heading off to Halifax and a new career as a professor in 1956.
    The move to the East Coast and its proximity to the sea provided the perfect
milieu to further inspire Mr. Zarand's creativity. "The sounds of the ocean is really incredible," he said. "I love the ocean.  It makes you realize how small you are."  One of his favourite artistic haunts was Hirtles Beach, which Mr. Zarand
said he liked because "It's open before the ocean. "It's not blocked," he said. "You see the whole ocean. It's very beautiful."
    Unlike many artists, Mr. Zarand rarely used photographs as models,
preferring to utilize memories of what he had seen to create his work. He also
restricted most of his painting to the earlier morning hours of the day "from 9
until 10 or so," because of his preference for natural light.  "I don't paint by electric light because that does not [reflect] the true colour," he explained. "I see things through my art. I'll never stop painting. It's good."
     Along with painting on a regular basis, Mr. Zarand spent a part of each day
indulging in another longtime artistic passion, creating beautiful carpets in
the back of his studio on a loom of his own design. "Sometimes, with a big carpet you have to go way up and then you have to climb down, so I invented a new loom so that the carpet is moving, and I don't have to," he said.
      Funeral services for Mr. Zarand were held at the Chester United Baptist
Church on August 20 with Rev. Dan Green officiating.